More than 100 crew members and tour staffers have been here this month, helping the hip-hop stars to get ready for their concerts, said Bobby Breedlove, arena manager.

About 200 people will pack up the production tonight and send it on the road to Atlanta, Breedlove said. The tour kicks off Friday and Saturday at Philips Arena, and will travel to 24 cities in the United States and Canada.

"It's a very large production, with 22 trucks," Breedlove said. "There were a lot of logistical things to pull together. There are a lot of visual and lighting elements. It will be a very impressive show."

Security has been tight and secrecy heavy since the first crew members arrived in Birmingham during the second week of October. West has been spotted once outside the venue, ordering lunch at a Subway sandwich shop on Oct. 20.

"Watch the Throne," linked to a new album by West and Jay-Z, hasn't scheduled any public performances in Birmingham. However, Breedlove said the tour management expressed its appreciation for the hospitality shown here during rehearsals.

Rehearsal clips from Birmingham could be part of a tour package shown on VOYR, a new entertainment platform on the Web that promises behind-the-scenes coverage of "Watch the Throne" for a $5 monthly subscription.